Ebola case in Texas to progress into outbreak? WHO declares Nigeria virus-free

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Early this week, the hospital who treated the first person who has been diagnosed with the deadly Ebola virus has extended an apology to the public about the way they have handled the case. Liberian Thomas Eric Duncan died of Ebola on October 8 after lying to the hospital about his recent travel plans. AFP reported that Duncan entered the US on September 20, but was only admitted to the hospital on September 28. He had been feeling sick four days after his arrival.

Texas Health CEO Barclay Berdan had signed the apology letter, which read, "The fact that Mr Duncan had traveled to Africa was not communicated effectively among the care team, though it was in his medical chart. We did not correctly diagnose his symptoms as those of Ebola. For this, we are deeply sorry."

Nina Pham and Amber Vinson, the two nurses who attended to Duncan during his time at the hospital, are reportedly fighting for the disease. More than a hundred are being observed for possible virus infection.

Concerns about a potential virus outbreak reached fever pitch when a female passenger was photographed by an individual wearing a homemade hazmat suit at the Dulles International Airport, Buzzfeed said. The site observed that Duncan had a layover at the airport just last month. Health officials has shut down concerns about the spread of the virus and insisted that during Duncan's flight, his co-passengers and the other travelers he might have in contact with are not at risk.

Meanwhile, Nigeria has been recently declared by the World Health Organization as virus-free, TIME stated. WHO is said to have cleared of Ebola when the country was able to make it 42 days without any new cases, showed negative results for suspected cases and had verified that it actively looked for all individuals who may have been in contact of the virus. Experts told TIME that Nigeria's advance preparation, immediate public acknowledgement of a health emergency, adequate training of its local doctors, and its ability to manage fear within communities helped the country control the deadly virus.

Nigerian Minister of Health Onyebuchi Chukwu was quoted as saying, "If any cases emerge in the future, it will be considered-by international standards-a separate outbreak. If that happens, Nigeria will be ready and able to confront it exactly as we have done with this outbreak."

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Nigeria, World Health Organization

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